2/24/25 – Yesterday, I posted pictures and video of a river of muck hundreds of feet wide that has poured out of Hallett Materials 170-acre settling pond into the San Jacinto West Fork…for a full year. Today, I’ll talk about the high cost of living downstream from that situation.
But Hallett has even more environmental issues. The West Fork now flows directly through one of the company’s other pits. It also flows through a third pit that Hallett sold to a residential developer just weeks before the dikes on the pit failed.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has not addressed any of those problems. It investigated one issue, ignored two others and issued no fines – despite a directive from Texas Governor Greg Abbott to “take action against sand mining operations violating regulations.”
Up the Down Escalator
It became clear after Harvey, that sand clogging the West Fork had contributed to epic flooding downstream from the sand mines. 16,000 homes and 3,300 businesses flooded in the Humble/Kingwood area.
The Army Corps said sediment had reduced the conveyance of the river up to 90% in places. But even after taxpayers bore almost $200 million of dredging costs, the river still has not returned to pre-Harvey conditions. More sand keeps coming.
Sand miners claim rivers naturally convey sediment. True. But that ignores the contribution of 20 square miles of exposed sediment in sand mines once protected by dense vegetation. Call the logic police.
Should we ignore industrial air pollution because bird poop falls naturally from the sky?
Meanwhile, downstream areas pay the price. Until we fix the problem of leaky sand mines, the river will continue to silt in as fast as we can dredge it.
See the photos below taken today at River Grove Park where the Kingwood Diversion Ditch outfalls to the San Jacinto West Fork.
Looking upstream. Outfall of Kingwood Diversion Ditch at River Grove Park on right. Compare what it looked like after Harvey.
Before the Army Corps completed dredging after Harvey, River Grove flooded five times in one six month period. The Corps liberated River Grove in December 2018.
KSA supplemented the Corps dredging and reopened its boat ramp in March 2020. Now, less than five years later, we need serious dredging again. See below.
Looking downstream. Note color of West Fork in this and succeeding pictures compared to water coming from Diversion Ditch.
Note: the water level is down slightly for a dam repair project downstream.
Closer shot shows deepest water is now measured in inches. Reportedly, only kayaks can now get through.However, the sand bars do make a convenient resting place for waterfowl.Overhead shot shows how much gap has filled in.
Dredging Estimated to Cost More than Half of KSA’s Cash Reserves
Last year, KSA obtained bids to dredge the outfall. However, the cost amounted to more than $800,000, more than half of KSA’s cash reserves at the time.
Since then, in my opinion, the sedimentation has worsened. So, dredging could cost even more now.
And this is just one ditch among many on the West Fork. All the more reason to reduce sediment coming from upstream sand mines.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 2/24/25
2736 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250224-DJI_20250224143051_0978_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2025-02-24 21:08:142025-02-24 21:17:29The High Cost of Living Downstream from Sand Mines
6/7/24 – Last night, the Kingwood Service Association (KSA) Parks Committee discussed the future of its River Grove boat launch. As reported previously on ReduceFlooding.com, the boat launch has become seriously blocked by sand and other sediment coming downriver during the May floods, primarily from the West Fork San Jacinto.
After floods in January, boaters complained of difficulty navigating through the sediment to the river. So KSA commissioned a sonar study. It showed that approximately 11,500 cubic yards of sediment needed to be dredged to open the channel. The cost approached $800,000…without any contingency funds built in.
KSA’s board authorized the Parks Committee to spend the money at its April Board Meeting. However, board members also requested the Parks Committee to explore ways to lower the cost first.
During that exploration, May floods deposited even more sand. To avoid surprise overages, a dredging subcommittee asked the low bidder to do another sonar survey. The new survey indicated that the amount of sand needing removal increased about 50 percent.
Budget-Busting Costs
The cost – without any contingency funds for overages – represents 49% of KSA’s current Capital Assets Reserve Fund balance. And that prompted many tough questions from the Parks Committee. Especially since boat dock usage represents only a small part of KSA’s responsibilities. And because a relatively small percentage of Kingwood residents use the boat docks.
Through June 5, KSA has issued 837 boat trailer stickers. Compare that to 23,842 regular vehicle stickers. Only 3.5% of the vehicles using Kingwood parks use the boat launch.
Meanwhile East End Park needs extensive trail restoration after the last storm. And KSA is about to renovate the entry at Kingwood Drive and US59.
Note, however, that the mouth of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch (at the boat docks) also plays a role in flooding. The ditch drains the western third of Kingwood. And when it became blocked during Harvey, hundreds of homes behind the blockage flooded.
Options KSA Considered
Here is a slight revision of the River Grove boat launch presentation that the KSA Parks Committee reviewed last night. The revisions reflect changes discussed in the meeting.
To make it easier to understand, I’ve also shown the individual pages below with some background information.
The title slide shows sediment buildup at the mouth of the Kingwood Diversion Ditch in River Grove. Not only does it affect boating, if sediment continues to build, it could eventually back water up into homes as it did during Harvey.
Image taken after May floods when lake was down slightly for gate repairs at dam.
The next section of the presentation covered developments since the last Parks Committee meeting.
After the first sonar survey of the River Grove Boat Launch in February, the Dredging Subcommittee authorized a second survey to quantify the amount of additional sediment deposited by May storms and the cost impact…even as it looked for ways to reduce costs.
The cost of the second survey was necessary to be considered for FEMA debris removal/flood mitigation funds. You must prove that the money requested came from the storm covered by a disaster declaration. This became a huge issue with the Mouth Bar after Harvey.
The amount of sediment requiring removal increased 50% during May. The low bidder proposed hydraulic as opposed to mechanical dredging which is much faster. And the sediment would go to a property owner on the south shore of the river, instead of being trucked away.
By paying the landowner directly, KSA avoids markup on disposal costs.
The slide below shows an estimate of the revised costs and the current balance in KSA’s capital assets reserve fund. The River Grove Boat Launch dredging would consume 49% of KSA’s fund balance. Even though more sand is being dredged, the ability to pump the sand across the river helped to keep direct dredging costs close to the first estimate.
What to Do? Options Considered
With all that as background, the next slides present additional dimensions of the problem. The photo below shows the confluence of Spring Creek (left) and the West Fork (right) at US59. Sediment is now coming downriver from the West Fork after flowing through a mile-long sand pit.
The photo above helps explain the sediment build up at the River Grove Boat Launch: 5+ feet in places at the mouth of the Diversion Ditch and an average of 1.5 feet across the entire dredging area.
The dredging-company representative said he’d never seen anything like it in that short of a period.
And a retired Army Corps representative who helped lead the Emergency West Fork Dredging Project after Harvey said, “After we completed our survey of the area, we predicted sedimentation will be a perpetual problem at this location.”
Hydrologists call the photo below a “difference map. The colors represent the difference between the first and second surveys. It shows the build up between mid-February and mid-May outside the River Grove Boat Launch. The red, orange and yellow areas show the greatest build up. Blue and green show the lesser areas.
Note the options listed on the left. They set up a discussion of the pros and cons for each alternative.
Pros and Cons of Options
For the sake of brevity, I’ll let you read the pros and cons from the visuals in the following slides. They are fairly self explanatory.
In the first option, KSA would seek help with dredging costs. This became a possibility when the Governor and President issued disaster declarations for this area last month. Suddenly, federal money became available for debris removal and flood mitigation. The sand deposits might qualify under either.
Council Members Fred Flickinger and Twila Carter have already reviewed the pre/post surveys and forwarded them to the City’s Chief Resilience Officer, Stephen Costello, for help with developing an application.
However, the outcome won’t be known for a while. So, if that option fails, KSA could make the decision to dredge one more time using its own money. But if a hurricane should come along and fill the sand back in, then KSA would wipe out its capital asset reserves fund. Hence the emphasis on “ONE” below.
Another option the Parks Committee agreed to explore was asking the City to dredge. The City is strapped for cash right now, but if the City could get funds from FEMA to cover the removal, it might be possible. That’s because the City already has a dredge in the river for a separate project between Kings Point and FM1960.
If FEMA covered the sand deposited after the first survey, perhaps a cost-sharing arrangement could be worked out with the City for the rest.
After all, the City owns the lake and the lake is developing a sediment problem. The City also has responsibility for maintaining the outfalls of the ditches around the lake.
While discussing ways to reduce dredging costs, KSA’s low bidder suggested long-term ways to make periodic dredging more affordable and sustainable.
This is not an immediate answer to the problem, but could be considered as a follow-on option if one of the others becomes possible.
Example: the dredging company suggested building a jetty to deflect floodwaters out into the river instead of letting them curl into the gap between the islands.
They also suggested building low underwater rock walls that could catch sand scooting along the riverbed. This could trap sediment behind the walls. And that could help minimize the area needing dredging in the future. Hopefully, that could also make dredging more affordable and sustainable in the future.
However, the permitting and construction costs for those measures would be in addition to any dredging done now.
Some people on the parks committee felt the jetty might work in small floods, but not in larger ones like we just had.
KSA also considered an option to just close the boat dock. However, after discussion, a compromise became clear: just limit its use.
This would let families with smaller watercraft, such as canoes, kayaks and paddle boards, continue to use the facilities if they could portage over the developing sand bar. Large boats would have to seek other places to launch.
Next Steps and Timetable for Decision
The Parks Committee agreed that the options needed to be shared with HOAs and residents. Hopefully, after debate, public comment, and more exploration of the options, consensus may develop around one of the options. The community can then make a decision in the fall when people return from summer vacations about both short- and long-range plans for the River Grove boat launch.
Make Your Feelings Known
If you live in Kingwood, please share this post with friends and neighbors. And make sure you register your opinion with your homeowner association officers.
Even though most residents don’t use the boat launch, many people might like to have the option. And that option could affect home values. For instance, imagine if a potential buyer for your home someday owned a boat.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 6/7/2024
2474 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/KSA-Boat-Launch-Options-R3_Page_07.jpg?fit=1500%2C1125&ssl=111251500adminadmin2024-06-07 00:47:282024-06-07 09:40:58Future of River Grove Boat Launch Discussed at KSA Meeting
5/26/24 – Now that the flood has completely receded, aerial photos show that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch at River Grove Park has become completely blocked by sand again … for the third time in six years.
Without serious sand-mine reform (which is an unrealistic dream), dredging will become more frequent and costlier. We’re on an unsustainable path. Let’s look at the problem and a possible solution.
Already Dredged Twice Since Harvey
The mouth of the ditch has already been dredged twice since Harvey: once by the Army Corps and once by the Kingwood Service Association (KSA). But earlier this year, two floods redeposited sand that now blocks the channel mouth again.
Boaters report that river access has become increasingly difficult. Now it’s virtually impossible.
KSA owns the park and the boat launch, but not the Diversion Ditch which cuts through the park. The City and County have responsibility for that.
Regardless, KSA has obtained dredging bids north of $800,000 to keep the boat docks open. To put that in perspective, it’s one third of the organization’s cash reserves. And that will force KSA to decide whether it wants to continue funding a boat launch.
But a bigger, more important question remains. If the sediment continues to accumulate, how many people will flood? Hundreds flooded behind a Diversion-Ditch blockage during Harvey.
As sand builds higher, the problem will become more dangerous. So, where is all the sand coming from?
For this story, I started at River Grove and worked my way upriver toward a hellish, out-of-control sandscape on the West Fork just above Kingwood. It typifies 20 square miles of sand mines in a 20-mile reach of the West Fork between US59 and I-45. But let’s talk about River Grove first.
River Grove Boat Launch Blocked
Today, on a hot Memorial Day Weekend, every boat owner in Kingwood would normally flock to River Grove. But the parking lot was virtually empty this morning. Here’s why.
An emerging sand bar has totally blocked the boat launch.
While I took pictures at this location, one man with a small, flat-bottomed johnboat came in. He had to get out of his boat and drag it on foot across the sand bar. The sand bar totally blocks larger boats. To that point, note the virtually empty parking lot in the picture above.
Following the Sand Upstream
So, I took a short drive upstream to see where the sand came from. The next stop: the confluence of Spring Creek and the West Fork, a few hundred yards upstream from the US59 Bridge. The confluence has looked like this for the last month.
Slightly upstream from the US59 bridge. Spring Creek (left), West Fork San Jacinto (right).5/26/24.
That water on the right looked very dirty. So I followed the sediment trail upstream. It led to the hellish sandscape mentioned above. See below.
Full Scope of Damage Near Hallett Mine Now Apparent
As floods have receded, the damage to mines in the river’s floodway and floodplains has become apparent. So has damage to the river system itself.
During the storms, the river cut through the dike of an abandoned sand pit owned by Hallett until January 2024. That’s when Hallett sold it to a real estate developer, according to the Montgomery County Appraisal District records.
Within days of the sale, the year’s first flood breached the dike at the downstream, southern end of the pit. Later, in May, a second flood breached a dike on the upstream, northern end.
Then the river started flowing through the mile-long, half-mile-wide pit and abandoned its normal channel. It churned up massive amounts of exposed sand and carried it downriver. The river’s velocity was more than sufficient to transport sand.
As more and more stormwater went through the sand pit, less and less went down the normal river channel. Water velocity slowed in the channel and sand dropped out of suspension. That created an enormous blockage that now appears to have cut off the river channel.
No one has yet taken steps to rebuild the broken sand mine dikes. Nor has anyone cleared the river channel. Meanwhile, the West Fork is running through an abandoned sand mine and carrying sediment downstream. See pictures below.
Looking upstream over West Fork San Jacinto. Channel has filled in with sand and river has rerouted itself through an abandoned pit(upper left).
In the picture above, it’s hard to tell where the river even was. It formed an S starting at the lower left.
Where river exits southern end of pit and continues down river.
Between the entrance and the exit, the river looked like this.
Former West Fork Channel. The channel is totally cut off by sand. Nearby residents estimate the depth of the sand to be 5-6 feet high near the northern breach.
This one-minute video shows where the river now enters the sand pit and the blockage in the former river channel.
Video shot on 5/26/24
Rain, River-Depth Impacts on Photographs
Environmental factors often influence photography. So, I recorded the following.
Harris County’s Flood Warning System shows that it hasn’t rained at all in the last week. That has reduced rates of flow in the West Fork.
I took all pictures above on 5/26/24. At the time, Lake Conroe was finally approaching its normal level of 201 feet above mean sea level. But the San Jacinto River Authority (SJRA) was still releasing water at a modest 350 cubic feet per second (CFS).
Screen capture from SJRA dashboard, 12:07PM, 5/26/24.
The SJRA release from Lake Conroe increased flow in the river past the sand mines.
Downstream, the Coastal Water Authority was discharging almost 4,000 CFS from Lake Houston at the same time in preparation for some repairs on the dam beginning later this week.
Screen capture from Coastal Water Authority website at 12:18 PM, 5/26/24.
The CWA release would lower the water level slightly in Lake Houston and near River Grove Park. But it would not affect areas as far upstream as the sand mines.
The Lake Houston water level was several inches to a foot below normal when I took these pictures. The CWA lists the normal pool at 42.4 feet. However, the Texas Water Development Board says that the spillway on the lake has a crest elevation of 41.73 feet.
So, What’s Next?
Note that the Kingwood Diversion Ditch affects drainage of the entire western half of Kingwood. The Harris County Flood Control District listed it as one of the top two priorities among flood-mitigation projects in the Kingwood Area.
Leaving this ditch silted in is not an option. Take boating out of the discussion. Hundreds of homes flooded during Harvey near this ditch when it previously became silted in and backed up.
KSA, a small, volunteer organization, cannot continue to fund the dredging of City and County property as dredging intervals become more frequent. Especially since no one is attempting to reign in irresponsible mining practices upstream.
Kingwood needs help. As a result of the disaster declaration that came after recent flooding, the Harris County Flood Control District should explore using FEMA debris removal funds to remove this dangerous blockage immediately.
The Diversion Ditch project would be an excellent candidate for those funds. We need to make our elected representatives aware of the issue and a possible funding solution.
Hurry. We only have 30 days from the disaster declaration.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/26/24
2462 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240526-DJI_20240526093138_0792_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2024-05-26 19:07:482024-05-26 20:20:00Kingwood Diversion Ditch Completely Blocked At River Grove
May 21, 2024 – After a second round of May floods (and the third this year), all river levels are falling today. The East Fork, West Fork and main stem of the San Jacinto River are finally falling this morning. So are the water levels in Lake Conroe and Lake Houston.
But sedimentation will likely be a problem when floodwaters totally recede.
Gage Readings For Lake Conroe
The gates at Lake Conroe are still open, but only releasing 1,599 Cubic Feet per Second (CFS). That’s about a twelfth of what the San Jacinto River Authority released at the peak of this second wave of May floods.
The graph below shows that the lake level is slowly approaching its normal conservation pool of 201 feet.
Note distances to flowage easement and top of dam. Homes around lake should be built above flowage easement.
All Gage Readings on West Fork Falling
In response, the West Fork at US59 fell below flood stage yesterday evening and continues to fall.
River Grove Park is draining, but the soccer fields are not yet playable.
River Grove Park draining on 5/20/24 at 5PM after flood peak passed
At West Lake Houston Parkway, the West Fork is well within its banks and falling.
Readings on East Fork
Upstream on the East Fork at SH105, the East Fork crest has passed and the river continues to fall.
At FM2090, the East Fork is 4 feet below flood stage and falling.
The East Fork fell below flood stage yesterday afternoon at FM1485 and continues to fall.
Lake Houston and Below
At the FM1960 bridge over Lake Houston, the level continues to fall well below flood stage, but is still about a foot above normal.
At the Lake Houston dam, water levels are also falling, but the lake is also about a foot above the spillway.
Floodwaters are still being released from the lake via both the gates and spillway.
The gates can release 10,000 CFS. That means about another 7,500 CFS are going over the spillway.
Downstream, on the main stem of the San Jacinto at Highway 90, the river is well below flood stage and continuing to fall.
West Fork Still Flowing Through Abandoned Sand Pit
That’s all great news. But the West Fork is still flowing through an abandoned sand pit near the Hallett Mine. You can see the impact at the confluence of the West Fork and Spring Creek.
Confluence of Spring Creek (left) and West Fork San Jacinto (Right) on 5/20/24 at 5 PM.
Can Water Moving at 5 MPH Transport Sand?
I measured debris coming out of the pit. It was moving at approximately 5 miles per hour (MPH).
Despite what some miners claim, 5 MPH should be more than enough to carry sand downriver.
Below is an industry-standard graph that shows the speed necessary to erode, transport and deposit sand/sediment of different particle sizes. Hydrologists and geologists call it a Hjulström curve, named after Filip Hjulström (1902–1982), the man who developed it.
After converting centimeters per second to miles per hour, I superimposed the speed of the river as a blue line over the graph.
The scientific Unified Soil Classification System defines sand as particles with a diameter of 0.074 to 4.75 millimeters. I rendered that range in red at the bottom of the chart.
Blue indicates speed of water. Red indicates range of sand sizes.
Floodwater moving at 5 MPH can transport the entire range of sand sizes according to the Hjulström curve. You can see it in the photo above.
The river will need to recede before we can see exactly how much moved down to the West Fork between Humble and Kingwood, or settled at the mouth of the river near Lake Houston.
In fairness, some of the sediment deposited downstream came from natural erosion from riverbanks. But there was also unnatural erosion from development and (I have heard) other mines. It is impossible to apportion responsibility precisely.
What we can safely say is that sand mining practices have increased sedimentation downstream and few people seem eager to fight the industry … even as we get ready to launch another round of dredging that will cost taxpayers $34 million.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 5/21/24
2457 Days since Hurricane Harvey
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/20240520-DJI_20240520175218_0749_D.jpg?fit=1100%2C619&ssl=16191100adminadmin2024-05-21 13:01:342024-05-21 13:06:00All River Levels Falling, Flood Danger Over, But…
4:30 PM May 16, 2024 – The National Weather Service has issued a trio of alerts that affect the Lake Houston Area. A tornado watch, flood warning, and flood watch are all simultaneously in effect.
Scene Capture from RadarScope Pro at 4:12PM 5/16/24
Tornado Watch
The three include a tornado watch until 10 PM tonight. The watch includes all counties in the Houston Region and then some.
AUSTIN BRAZORIA BRAZOS BURLESON CHAMBERS COLORADO FORT BEND GALVESTON GRIMES HARDIN HARRIS HOUSTON JASPER JEFFERSON LIBERTY MADISON MONTGOMERY NEWTON ORANGE POLK SAN JACINTO TRINITY TYLER WALKER WALLER WASHINGTON WHARTON
Update: At 5:50 PM, issued a tornado warning for NW Harris, Austin and Waller Counties. They spotted rotation on radar. The warning will expire at 6PM, but it speaks to the severity of these storms.
Flood Warning
The Weather Service has also issued a flood warning for the San Jacinto East Fork. Predicted crests are increasing from minor to moderate levels near FM1485. This could affect people in Harris, Montgomery and Liberty Counties. Some are still cleaning up from the flood two weeks ago.
Flood Watch in Wider Area
Finally, a flood watch has been issued due to excessive rainfall across the region. This one could trigger flooding on other creeks, streams and bayous. The watch area includes:
This watch is primarily due to excessive rainfall associated with the approaching storm. It could drop 2-4″ across a wide area, with isolated totals up to 6-8″.
Lake Houston is in the area of highest risk – Level 4 – for excessive rainfall.
National Weather Service (See below.)
Flash Flooding Possible
High intensity rains could produce flash flooding that makes driving dangerous.
The ground is already super saturated from previous rains. “There is just nowhere for the water to go,” said Harris County Meteorologist Jeff Lindner.
According to Lindner, “Widespread rainfall amounts of 2-4″ will be likely north of HWY 105. Isolated totals could reach upwards to 6-8 inches. Amounts will decrease toward the south with totals near the coast less than 1 inch. This will virtually be a carbon copy of the last several rainfall events in terms of location and amounts.”
Lake Report
Lake Conroe was releasing 1590 cubic feet per second until the noon hour today. Then, the SJRA stopped releasing water give the Coastal Water Authority a chance to reduce the level of Lake Houston. Lake Houston continues to release water.
Lake Conroe operators hoped they had enough capacity in the Lake to absorb the expected influx of water. But at 4:30PM, the resumed releasing 1587 CFS.
They also announced that they will “pass through storm water and runoff received in the Upper San Jacinto River Basin until Lake Conroe returns to conservation pool.” (201 feet)
Both lakes just returned close to their normal levels from the floods in early May. However, Lake Houston is still a few inches above normal.
Total inflows into Lake Houston are at 6,627 cfs and outflows are at 8,960 cfs. Lake Houston gates have and will remain open until the gate that is stuck partially open is repaired.
Impact on Sedimentation
Most sediment moves during floods. And the West Fork sure has been piling up sediment lately. KSA just completed a sonar survey in River Grove Park where the Kingwood Diversion Ditch enters the West Fork.
Before the last storm, sand had built up at the mouth so that only about two feet of clearance was available for boats. After the last storm, sand is poking up even closer to the surface…and the river is still about a half foot above normal.
Even with water up about a half foot, you can see sand bars lurking just below surface at the River Grove boat launch.
The City of Houston is getting ready to launch a new $34 million dredging program between Kings Point and FM1960.
DRC/Callan Marine mobilizing for new dredging program south of Forest Cove Pool.
Unfortunately, the new City program won’t include the mouth of the Diversion Ditch. KSA will have to hire its own dredger to keep the boat docks open.
KSA’s dredging interval has gone from 8 to 4 to 2 years. It sure seems as though it would be less expensive if we didn’t have West Fork floods flowing through sand pits.
The thoughts expressed in this post represent opinions on matters of public concern and safety. They are protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution and the Anti-SLAPP Statute of the Great State of Texas.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/4PM-Front.jpg?fit=1100%2C632&ssl=16321100adminadmin2024-05-16 16:27:222024-05-17 22:48:00Tornado Watch, Flood Warning, Flood Watch In Effect
Upstream rains. Downstream pains. On what could be one of the best soccer days of the year, the soccer fields at River Grove Park are mostly underwater this morning. And more rain could be on the way this afternoon.
Conditions Near West Fork Tuesday Morning
At 10 a.m. on 5/16/23, the San Jacinto West Fork was out of its banks by about a foot and a half. The water surface elevation stood at 50’8″.
River Grove Park Soccer Fields, looking NE from over boat docks.Looking SE from over soccer field parking lot.Boat docks and play area under water.Boardwalk under water.Farther upstream, at the US59 bridge, the turnaround under the bridge was closed.No parking today under the bridge.
Last Month Compared to Normal
The last month has been wet!
Rainfall for last 31 days. While Kingwood received 7-9″, Crosby received 11″. Upstream on Spring and Cypress Creeks, many gages recorded 11-12” and one recorded more than 13″.
Luckily, most of the rainfall has been spread out. At 59 and the West Fork, the highest daily total was 1.8″.
But it ain’t over yet. Jeff Lindner, Harris County Meteorologist, says daytime heating today could bring another round of thunderstorms with 2-3 inches in isolated areas.
How does that compare to normal for this time of year? The National Weather Service shows these average rainfall totals by month for the last 30 years for Houston Intercontinental Airport.
The average for April is 3.95″ and May is 5.01″ inches.
Many places in Harris County have received more than double the usual rainfall for this time of year.
The good news: The rainfall was spread out. So few, if any, homes flooded. Mostly, just low-lying areas near rivers and streams flooded, such as River Grove Park.
Parks represent the highest and best use for areas near rivers that frequently flood. When the water goes down, it’s “game on” again. No soggy carpet to replace. No drywall to repair. And they don’t reduce the storage capacity of the floodplain.
Many thanks to the Kingwood Service Association which owns and maintains all five parks and recreation areas in Kingwood.
The Kingwood Service Association pier at the River Grove Park Boat Launch has reached the end of its service life and is being replaced.
The pier, which had grown old, sustained damage during recent floods. The planks had so much give in them, that I often wondered if they would hold me.
It’s Finally Time
After Harvey, though, KSA had so much work to do in the park – removing sand, replacing pavement, fixing fields, restoring restrooms, and dredging in front of the boardwalk – that replacement of the pier just had to wait, according to Dee Price, KSA president.
Earlier this year, KSA had a professional engineer draw up specs and then it solicited bids. “The winning bid was affordable and the contractor is doing excellent work,” said Price.
I would second that from everything I saw today at the park. Both the wood and workmanship appear top notch. This will make an excellent addition to the park.
Pics of New Pier Under Construction
Driving new piles to extend the pier. The four poles stabilize the boat while the pile driver in the center does its work.From this angle, you can more easily see how the pile driver slides forward and backward on rails to ensure alignment of supports.From ground level, you can see how substantial the wood is.
Expected Completion Soon
Price says she expects the work to be done this week or next, depending on weather. The launch remains open in the meantime, but is blocked periodically for short periods by the pile driver as you see here.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 11/2/2021
1526 Days after Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/20211101-DJI_0655.jpg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=17991200adminadmin2021-11-01 21:44:062021-11-01 21:44:10KSA Replacing River Grove Boat-Launch Pier
The Diversion Ditch project would help address several potential problems. Expanding it would remove 62 structures from inundation areas and another 586 structures would benefit from improved local drainage. In addition, the project:
Can divert floodwater from Ben’s Branch, which will be a much more complicated project, taking more time.
Has a 300-foot right-of-way, of which only half is being used
Has bridges that already span the entire 300 feet.
Will help carry floodwaters from rapidly growing south Montgomery County.
History of Diversion Ditch
In the early days of Kingwood, Friendswood Development Company built the Diversion Ditch to reduce water flowing into Ben’s Branch. But since then, upstream development and larger rains have stressed the capacity of both Ben’s Branch AND the Diversion Ditch. Engineers estimate that peak flows have doubled since 1985.
Most of Ben’s Branch is Natural Channel
Ben’s Branch cuts diagonally through the heart of Kingwood. See red lines below. More than half its length – between Woodland Hills and Rocky Woods Drive is natural channel. Widening it will be complicated and take much time.
Red Line indicates approximate path of Ben’s Branch through Kingwood.
Ben’s Branch Now at 2-Year Level of Service
However, areas on both sides of Ben’s Branch are threatened by flooding as you can see in the image below from FEMA’s Flood Hazard Viewer.
Ben’s Branch once had a 100-year level of service, meaning it had enough carrying capacity to prevent homes from flooding in everything but a 100-year rain. Models based on new Atlas-14 rainfall probability frequencies indicate that the channel’s capacity is now down to a 2-year level of service. That means it will flood in minor rains, exactly as St. Martha School did last year.
Worse yet, Ben’s Branch has decreased to a 2-year level of service throughout its length.
HCFCD Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis
Source: Fema’s Flood Hazard Layer Viewer. Cross-hatched equals floodway, aqua = 100 year floodplain, brown = 500-year floodplain.Floodplains shown above are based on pre-Atlas-14 rainfall probability statistics. An Atlas-14 hundred-year rain is about 30-40% higher than the old hundred-year rain.
When flood maps are updated based on Atlas-14 statistics, those floodplains will likely expand…unless we do something to handle more floodwater before then.
However, Ben’s Branch will not move to preliminary engineering right away.
How to Protect Against Bigger Rains and More Upstream Development
The Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis sought to understand what we need to do to restore a 100-year level of service to all ditches and streams based on Atlas 14. Of the 19 ditches and streams studied, nine need improvement. The level of service for some, including Ben’s Branch, has been reduced to 2 years.
Expanding the Diversion Ditch is the fastest way to take pressure off of Ben’s Branch.
The Diversion Ditch intersects Ben’s Branch at the new St. Martha Church. It then flows south to Deer Ridge Park and then winds through River Grove Park. See the white line below.
Kingwood Diversion ditch (white line) intersects Ben’s Branch near the new St. Martha Church.
Expansion Capacity Already Built into Diversion Ditch
Engineers foresaw the day when Kingwood would need more drainage capacity due to upstream development in Montgomery County. They built the Kingwood Diversion Ditch to handle the extra stormwater. They also made the bridges over the diversion ditch wider than they needed at the time. Finally, they dedicated a flood easement on both sides of the ditch that was wider than they needed, so they could expand the ditch later without encroaching on neighboring properties. Here’s how it looks from the air.
Looking north across Northpark Drive toward Bens Branch, which cuts diagonally from left to right through the middle of the frame. Note the ample clearance under the bridge and the wide shoulders of the ditch. St. Martha Church is in the upper left.
Looking south toward Kingwood Drive at the Diversion Ditch. King’s Mill is on right in foreground.
Both Kings Mill and Kings Manor now drain into the Diversion Ditch. But they came long AFTER Diversion Ditch construction. Other new upstream developments that drain into the Diversion Ditch and Ben’s Branch include Brooklyn Trails and Woodridge Forest, both in Montgomery County.
As a result, the Diversion Ditch itself has decreased to a 2- to a 25-year level of service in places. However, it still offers a 100-year level of service in others.
Looking NE toward Deer Ridge Park from over Hamblen Road. A corner of Deer Ridge Estates is on the left. The diversion ditch cuts in front of the park (upper left to lower right) and goes into an area largely undeveloped on its way to the river (out of frame to the right).
Impact on River Grove Park
Once the Diversion Ditch passes through the area shown in the photo above, it enters wetlands and winds through River Grove Park. Two questions arise. How do we protect, from additional flow:
The park?
People downstream on the West Fork?
The first question is simple: split the flow in two. Take part through the undeveloped area west of the park. See the green below.
Green Line represents one possible route for diversion of the diversion ditch.
The second question is more complicated. We need a retention basin to hold the extra stormwater until the peak of any flood passes on the West Fork. But where? The closer you get to the river, the lower the elevation. Because of that, the basin could fill with floodwater from the river before it fills with floodwater from upstream. Fortunately, some large tracts of land exist on higher ground that could be purchased. HCFCD estimates the need at 1248 acre-feet. Preliminary engineering should start soon to address these issues.
Upstream Development Not Addressed by Analysis
Unfortunately the Kingwood Area Drainage Analysis did not address upstream development issues in Montgomery County. That was beyond the scope of work. Regardless, such issues must be addressed somehow, someday soon. Otherwise, even the improvements we invest in today could soon be overwhelmed by additional floodwaters.
In that sense, these channel improvements represent a stopgap measure. The real solution lies in making everyone in the region realize that we are all in this together.
The ten remaining channels/streams already offer a 100-year level of service. Therefore, no improvements are needed. HCFCD felt Taylor Gully should be the next priority after the Diversion Ditch. But the possible purchase of Woodridge Village may require re-thinking project requirements. Specifically, if Woodridge turns into a giant detention basin, the channel may not need as much deepening or widening.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 10/20/2020
1148 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/RJR_4304.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000&ssl=110001500adminadmin2020-10-20 21:09:102020-10-21 09:32:19HCFCD Recommends Expanding Diversion Ditch as First Priority in Kingwood
The storm deposited so much sand in this park, there were times when I doubted it could be restored. The park’s comeback is a remarkable tribute to a handful of dedicated volunteers and contractors (led by Dee Price and Bruce Casto), with big assists from the people of Kingwood, the Army Corps of Engineers and Kayden Industries.
Here are the slides and text from Price’s presentation to the BizCom meeting. The presentation also includes information about KSA, which newcomers may find helpful.
Dee Price BizCom Presentation on River Grove Park
Good Morning. I’m going to spend a few minutes talking about the recovery of Kingwood’s River Grove Park from the impact of Hurricane Harvey. But first let me give you a brief overview of the Kingwood Service Association aka KSA.
KSA is a Texas non-profit corporation that was chartered in September 1976 by the Kingwood developer. Its stated purpose is to provide for community, civic, and social welfare in the Kingwood area and to promote the health, safety, and welfare of the Kingwood area residents.
Carrying out this purpose has evolved over the years as Kingwood became part of the City of Houston.
Representing 32 community and commercial associations throughout Kingwood, KSA has continued to be a focal point in working community-wide issues that impact multiple villages in Kingwood.
KSA owns, operates, and maintains the five major parks in Kingwood. It also maintains the two major entries into Kingwood at Kingwood Drive and North Park Drive. KSA actually owns the entrance area on Kingwood Drive on which the ponds are located.
Like many areas in Kingwood, River Grove Park was heavily impacted by Hurricane Harvey. A huge amount of sand was deposited in the park. In addition, many of the park facilities suffered a significant amount of damage. The pictures on the slide above illustrate the amount of damage suffered.
It took a significant amount of effort to recover from the damage caused by the hurricane. First, we had to remove 364 truckloads of sand. We had to drill a new well, pressure wash all of the park facilities, and repair the damage to the facilities. We also had to restore the sports fields closest to the river that had been inundated by sand deposits.
The final step of dredging the portion of the river along the park’s perimeter had to be put on hold until the US Army Corps of Engineers completed their project to dredge the San Jacinto River. The Corps removed the big sand bar formed during Harvey that was blocking access to the river from River Grove Park. This was a big help to KSA and very much appreciated.
Once the Corps was finished with their dredging project, KSA was able to proceed on its project to dredge the area along its boardwalk and boat ramp. The picture shows that a large amount of sand was deposited in the area by Harvey.
Since the dredging had been put on hold for 3 years, vegetation took hold on the sand and had to be removed before the dredging itself could begin.
Once the vegetation was removed the removal of the sand could proceed. Ultimately, the project removed 10,000 cubic yards of sand, dewatered the sand on-site using a dewatering machine, and then hauled off the sand to an approved location.
The project took 3 months to complete including working during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. The boat ramp, which was closed in 2017 after Hurricane Harvey, was re-opened in April 2020 and has been heavily used since that time.
The last slide is a picture of the park after the first stage of recovery had been completed and the park was re-opened in March 2018. That concludes my discussion. Thank you very much.
The spirit and tenacity of volunteers in Kingwood are one of the things that make this such a great place to live.
Posted by Bob Rehak on 8/7/2020with thanks to Dee Price, KSA, the KSA Parks Committee, Bruce Casto, Kayden Industries, the Army Corps of Engineersand people of Kingwood
1074 Days since Hurricane Harvey
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/LHCC-Bizcom-08-06-2020_Dee-Price_Page_09.jpg?fit=1023%2C765&ssl=17651023adminadmin2020-08-07 09:41:422020-08-07 09:41:57The Remarkable Restoration of River Grove Park After Harvey
I always associated the word “Riviera” with a coastal region in France and Italy on the Mediterranean. But being a student of language, I frequently look up words that I think I know. Much to my surprise, I learned that the word has a second meaning. It also applies to any coastal region with a subtropical climate and vegetation. The origin of the word stems from 18th century Italian. It literally meant “seashore.”
History and Meanings of Riviera
The 20-volume Oxford English Dictionary (OED), which is really a history book of the language, indicates that railroad barons frequently used the word in the 1900s to lure vacationers to coastal areas around the world. OED’s last entry is from the October 19, 1943 edition of the Saturday Review, an influential magazine at the time. The OED quoted the Saturday Review as saying, “Every properly equipped nation must have a Riviera.”
Getting From There to Here
The term occurred to me when I saw the scene below while flying up the San Jacinto West Fork last Sunday near River Grove Park. So it is with tongue in cheek and humor in my heart that I apply the term to River Grove.
Looking NW. Partying on the sand dune outside Kingwood’s River Grove Park on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Looking northeast at the same sand bar two weeks after Harvey.At this point, the River Grove parking lot was still covered with 4-5 feet of sand.
No Burger Barns or Tatoo Parlors, But…
Now the sand bar seems to be a popular stopping off point for people running the river and trying to squeeze a little more sunshine out of the day.
It may not be the French/Italian Riviera. Nor is it the Redneck Riviera. You won’t find people here for spring breaks, water parks, tattoo parlors, beer joints, crab shacks, burger barns or t-shirts.
But the sunshine is warm, the water cool, and it doesn’t require a trans-Atlantic flight or a 14-hour drive.
https://i0.wp.com/reduceflooding.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/20200530-DJI_0128-2.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=19001200adminadmin2020-06-06 19:22:032020-06-06 19:41:43River Grove Riviera: Park Adds New Feature
